Share via

RD Session Host Migration: Migrating the RD Session Host Role Service

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

This topic contains instructions for migrating the RD Session Host role service or the Terminal Server role service.

Warning

During migration, the source server is removed from the domain. If there is more than one role service installed on the source server, you will not have access to the other role services after you remove the source server from the domain.

Migrating the RD Session Host or Terminal Server role service

Migrate the RD Session Host role service or the Terminal Server role service by using the steps in this topic and the data that you added to the RD Session Host Migration: Appendix A: Migration Data Collection Worksheets.

To migrate the RD Session Host role service or the Terminal Server role service, perform the following steps:

  1. Remove the source server from the domain.

  2. Add the destination server to the domain.

  3. Export the RD Session Host server or terminal server registry key settings from the source server.

  4. Remove unnecessary registry keys.

  5. Import the registry key settings to the destination server.

  6. Migrate the computers in the TS Web Access Computers local group.

First, remove the source server from the domain.

To remove the source server from the domain

  1. Log on to a domain controller by using an authorized administrator account.

  2. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

  3. Expand your domain, and then click Computers.

  4. Right-click the computer account to be removed, and then click Delete.

Next, add the destination server to the domain.

To add the destination server to the domain

  1. Log on to the destination server as a member of the local Administrators group.

  2. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.

  3. Click Change settings, and then click Change.

  4. In the Domain box, type the name of the domain, and then click OK.

  5. Enter the credentials for a user account that has access to join computers to the domain, and then click OK.

  6. Click OK to close the Network Identification dialog box.

  7. Restart the computer.

Next, export the RD Session Host server or terminal server registry key settings from the source server.

Warning

Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.
For detailed information about migrating registry keys, see Registry Editor (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=193002).

To export the registry key settings from the source server

  1. Click Start, and in the search box, type regedit.exe and then press ENTER.

  2. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Yes.

  3. Navigate to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server.

  4. Select Terminal Server.

  5. On the File menu, click Export.

  6. Click Save.

  7. On the File menu, click Exit to close the Registry Editor.

Next, remove the unnecessary registry keys.

Some of the imported keys should be removed from the exported file. The unnecessary keys are in the following registry locations:

  • HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal server\RCM\Licensing Core

  • HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal server\RCM [Certificate] Reg Value

  • HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal server\RCM [CertificateOld] Reg Value

  • HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal server\RCM [X509 Certificate] Reg Value

  • HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal server\RCM [X509 Certificate ID] Reg Value

  • HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal server\RCM [X509 Certificate2] Reg Value

Important

The procedure below is intended to remove the registry key, not just the value for it.

To remove an unnecessary registry key

  1. Right-click the exported registry file, and then click Edit.

  2. Delete each entry from the list of unnecessary keys.

  3. Save the file as a text file.

  4. Transfer the exported file to a removable storage device such as a USB flash drive.

Next, import the registry key settings under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server to the destination server.

Warning

Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.

To import the registry key settings to the destination server

  1. On the destination server, click Start, and in the Search box, type regedit.exe and then press ENTER.

  2. On the File menu, click Import.

  3. Find the file that you exported when preparing to migrate the role service, click the file to select it, and then click Open.

Finally, migrate the computers in the TS Web Access Computers local group to the TS Web Access Computers local group on the destination server.

To migrate the TS Web Access Computers local group

  1. Log on to the RD Session Host server as a member of the local Administrators group.

  2. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.

  3. Expand Local Users and Groups, and then click Groups.

  4. Double-click TS Web Access Computers security group. Under Members, click Add.

  5. In the Select Users, Computers, or Groups dialog box, click Object Types.

  6. In the Object Types dialog box, select Computers, and then click OK.

  7. In the Select Users, Computers, or Groups dialog box, in the Enter the object names to select box, enter the names of the computers from the data worksheet, and then click OK.

  8. After the Select Users, Computers, or Groups dialog box closes, verify that your computer appears in the list.

    For more information, see Populate the TS Web Access Computers Security Group (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=195057).

See also